Special to the Town Crier
When the Chevron gas station located at the corner of First Street and San Antonio Road closed last year, the station bays were torn down and pumps and underground tanks removed.
At that time, Chevron Corp., the site's owner, discovered that it - as well as nearby commercial and residential properties - was contaminated with gasoline and the fuel additive methyl-tert-butyl-ether (MTBE). The Environmental Protection Agency considers MTBE to be a possible human carcinogen.
Mark Lafferty, Chevron Corp. representative, said it is Chevron's policy to address environmental issues on every piece of their property. "As we speak, we are actively reducing contaminates in the ground water on the property."
The removal of contaminated ground water at the site is not yet completed, and, according to Chevron's contractor, the monitoring of pollution will continue for another three months.
The city of Los Altos and the Santa Clara Valley Water District are monitoring the project because digging and ground water are involved. A March 18, 1999 report issued by the Los Altos city staff to the city council advised that Chevron would clean up the pollution using a vapor extraction system and a ground water pump and treatment program.
"We want to make sure whatever is installed in the public right of way doesn't interfere with public safety and city-owned utilities," said Jim Porter, assistant public works director. "Chevron has kept us informed of their activity."
Lafferty said the Los Altos Chevron station was not the only site requiring clean up. Other oil companies have the same problem, which is caused by the deterioration of old underground metal tanks. When the old tanks leak into the ground water, it is often collected into drinking water wells. State law requires pollution cleanup effort.
"We are very pro-active on this property, and we will clean it up before we sell it." Lafferty said.